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Homemade English Muffins: Easier than you Think

Let’s face it. We have all had mornings where getting out of the door on time can be a challenge. On those sorts of mornings, a homemade breakfast seems out of the question. Instead, we settle on something from the freezer or perhaps the drive-through. Sure… that stuff may be served hot, but how good does it actually taste?

batter after 30 minute rise

English muffins are a classic breakfast food. They can be toasted and slathered with butter and jam or even cream cheese. These muffins pair well with just about anything. But if you have time to linger over the table, serve them as the foundation for Eggs Benedict… a personal weekend favorite.

Instead of reaching for a bag of muffins, try making them at home. Fresh English muffins are easier to make than you think. Their flavor is certainly unlike anything you ever took out of a grocery package.

scooping batter with ice cream scoop

The recipe listed is modified from the one printed in my 1938 edition of the Modern Home Cook Book by Grace E. Denison. (Cooking instructions were not detailed enough in the original recipe.)

English Breakfast Muffins

1 tbsp. butter

1 1/2 C. milk

1/2 C. lukewarm water

1 pkg. of yeast

3 C. flour

1 tsp. salt

Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a small container, bloom the yeast in warm water. Add the butter to the yeast/water mixture. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast/water/butter mixture into the flour. Also pour in the milk. Stir to combine. The resulting dough will be quick sticky. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes.

muffin rings with domed lid

Heat a griddle on the stove (or you can use an electric skillet). If using cast iron, go with a low stove top setting to prevent burning. Grease the griddle with a little butter. Next, use muffin rings or tuna cans with both the top and bottom removed. Grease the inside of the rings (or cans) with butter then place on the griddle. Fill approximately halfway up the sides of the rings. (An ice cream scoop works well.) Place a domed lid over the top of the rings (this will help steam the top of the muffin). Cook the muffins for approximately 5 minutes (can lift one up with a spatula to check for a golden brown color). Turn the rings over using the spatula or a pair of tongs. NOTE: the batter should have risen to the top of the rings while cooking. Cook for another 5 minutes or until golden brown.

cooked to perfection

Remove the muffins from the griddle and repeat the process until the batter is gone. This recipe makes approximately 9 English muffins when using 3 7/8″ rings (just happens to be the size I have on hand so these are large English muffins).

For the classic experience, use a fork to split open the muffin. If you prefer a cleaner look, simply use a knife instead.

These muffins toast up nicely. The flavor and the texture will remind you why homemade is better and just may convert you into making your own English muffins. They really are easier to make than you think!

The rings in the photos are ones that a friend gave to me. Prior to that, I used tuna cans where I took off the top and bottom. The cans work (but not quite as well as commercially made rings)… just in my experience. I have seen the rings at kitchen stores and online.

I have been thinking to look up a recipe for English muffins for my kids. We deal with multiple food allergies, so pre-packaged foods are risky for us. I think I’ll treat my kids to these today! I might try a gluten free version for myself. Thanks for posting.

You are welcome! We have been reducing the amount of processed foods in our diet and one of my last items to give up was store-bought English muffins. Even the ‘good’ ones were chock full of preservatives. Now, we regularly make them.

These look great–I will be making them very soon. Just wondering, have you made any cinnamon raisin ones? I used to buy them all the time. I have been substituting a recipe called English Muffin Bread–(which is really good) but I liked to have pretty ones like you made.

I haven’t tried making cinnamon raisin, but I think that would be an easy alteration. Given the amount of flour, I would guess that you could add about 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon and a half cup of raisins to the mix. The muffin rings definitely make it easy to create English muffins.

English Muffins really are easy to make and so much more flavorful than store-bought. It has been years since we have bought a package. I hope you enjoy. And thank you… we are very happy with our blog name and header design.

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Welcome to Urban Overalls

I’m Connie. Growing up on a farm in rural Iowa taught me me many lessons: raising chickens, growing produce, enjoying raw milk, how to cook from scratch using whole foods, canning, mending clothes, and the importance of being someone who gives back to the community.

Now, living in an urban setting, I brought my country ways with me. Join us as Mr. Overalls and I share our adventures, recipes, and how-to in our daily lives on our 1/3 acre slice of heaven near the center of town.